Toothpaste
A dentifrice used to clean teeth and prevent oral disease.
Toothpaste is a paste or gel used with a toothbrush to clean teeth and keep them looking good. It helps with oral hygiene by using abrasives to scrub away plaque and food, fighting bad breath, and carrying active ingredients—most often fluoride—to guard against cavities and gum disease. Because formulas and fluoride levels vary, not all toothpastes work equally well for oral health. The widespread use of fluoride toothpaste around the world is credited with the drop in tooth decay seen in the 1900s. Swallowing a lot of toothpaste can be toxic. Common toothpaste colors are white (sometimes with colored stripes or a green tint) and blue.
**History**
**Early toothpastes** As far back as 5000 BC, Egyptians made a tooth powder from powdered ox hoof ash, pumice, burnt eggshells, and myrrh. The Greeks and Romans later improved recipes by adding abrasives like crushed bones and oyster shells. In the 9th century, Iraqi musician and designer Ziryab created a toothpaste he popularized across Islamic Spain. Its exact ingredients are unknown, but it was said to be both functional and pleasant-tasting. It’s unclear whether these early pastes were used alone, rubbed on with rags, or used with early toothbrushes like neem twigs or miswak. During Japan’s Edo period, Hiraga Gennai’s 1769 work *Hika rakuyo* advertised Sosekiko, a “toothpaste in a box.” Toothpastes and powders became common in the 19th century.
**Tooth powder** Tooth powders for use with brushes became common in 19th-century Britain. Most were homemade from chalk, crushed brick, or salt. An 1866 *Home Encyclopedia* recommended powdered charcoal and warned that many commercial patented tooth powders did more harm than good. Arm & Hammer sold a baking-soda tooth powder in the U.S. until about 2000, and Colgate still sells tooth powder in India and other countries.
**Modern toothpaste** An 18th-century American and British recipe called for burned bread. Another formula used dragon’s blood (a resin), cinnamon, and burned alum. In 1873, Colgate began mass-producing aromatic toothpaste in jars. By 1900, a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda was recommended for brushing. Pre-mixed toothpastes were sold in the 19th century but didn’t overtake tooth powder until World War I. Newell Sill Jenkins, with Willoughby D.
- First ada approved fluoride toothpaste
- 1960 (Crest by Procter & Gamble)
Lore & Background
Since 5000 BC, the Egyptians made a tooth powder from powdered ashes of ox hooves, pumice, burnt eggshells, and myrrh. The Greeks and Romans improved recipes by adding crushed bones and oyster shells. In the 9th century, the Iraqi musician and designer Ziryab invented a toothpaste popularized in Islamic Spain, described as both functional and pleasant to taste, though its exact ingredients are unknown. During Japan's Edo period, Hiraga Gennai's 1769 work advertised Sosekiko, a toothpaste in a box. Tooth powders came into general use in 19th-century Britain, often homemade from chalk, pulverized brick, or salt; an 1866 encyclopedia recommended pulverized charcoal and cautioned against many patented powders.
Reader's Guide
Modern toothpaste development accelerated in the 19th century. In 1873, Colgate began mass-producing aromatic toothpaste in jars. By 1900, a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda was recommended. Newell Sill Jenkins, with Willoughby D. Miller, developed Kolynos, the first disinfectant-containing toothpaste, after 17 years of development; its first tubes were marketed on April 13, 1908. Fluoride was first added in the 1890s, but ADA approval came only in the 1950s after Procter & Gamble's Crest launched a clinically proven fluoride toothpaste in 1955. Toothpastes generally maintain dental health; fluoride-containing varieties effectively prevent tooth decay. A 2016 systematic review indicated that using toothpaste does not necessarily impact plaque removal, but active ingredients prevent dental diseases with regular use. Large amounts of swallowed toothpaste can be poisonous.
Did You Know?
- The earliest known toothpaste was an Egyptian tooth powder from around 5000 BC made from ox hooves, pumice, and burnt eggshells.
- The first toothpaste containing disinfectants, Kolynos, was developed by Newell Sill Jenkins and Willoughby D. Miller.
- Fluoride was first added to toothpaste in the 1890s by the Karl F. Toellner Company of Bremen, Germany.
- Toothpaste tabs, which reduce plastic waste, are compressed powder that is pulverized with the teeth in the mouth.
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